Time magazine named Michelle Rhee one of 11 education activists of 2011, and in the process named us totally shocked. But congratulations to Rhee, who certainly had a busy 2011 — was it really just last summer that rumors flew she would fire hundreds of DCPS teachers?

Along that vein, another of today's accolades goes to charter school teacher Jon Rolle for being named the 2011 D.C. Teacher of the Year by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Rolle teaches the third grade at Southeast Academy, one of six campuses of Friendship Charter Public School.

Rhee, former DCPS chancellor, has drawn fire in recent months for her faith in charter schools as models to improve the failing national public education system. It's likely she'll incorporate some of their lessons in the legislative agenda she's releasing by early next week through her nonprofit advocacy group, StudentsFirst.